The invention relates to an apparatus for metering and dispensing powder into hard gelatin capsules or the like as has been disclosed by DE 197 20 362 A1. In the known apparatus, the springs, which were previously coupled to the tamping plungers for the metering and compression of the powder in the bores of the metering disk, are replaced with pneumatically acting means. It is therefore possible to eliminate the danger of spring breakage and at the same time to minimize the conversion work required in a format change of the apparatus. Mention is also made of the fact that by means of pressure sensors for the pneumatic means, which are coupled to the control device of the apparatus, make it possible for there to be a monitoring/control of the tamping plungers.
However, a quantitative statement as to the powder quantities metered into the bores of the metering disk by the tamping plungers has not been possible up to this point with either the known apparatus with pneumatic means instead of the springs or with an apparatus that has springs for the tamping plungers.
The apparatus according to the invention for metering and dispensing powder into hard gelatin capsules or the like has the advantage over the prior art that it is possible to make a quantitative statement as to the weight of the compressed pellets formed in the bores of the metering disk. In a simple way, this permits a 100% weight control of the compressed pellets, which previously took place outside the apparatus by means of a weighing device, for example the closed hard gelatin capsules were weighed. With a 100% weight control of the hard gelatin capsules by means of the weighing device, the performance of the apparatus was limited or a number of weighing devices were required.
Other advantageous improvements of the apparatus according to the invention are disclosed herein. An embodiment set forth makes it possible, for example, to convert existing conventional tamping plungers that cooperate with mechanically acting springs. This embodiment permits both a weight control of each individual compressed pellet and also optionally permits a statement to be made as to the presence of possibly broken springs. A particularly simple format adaptation and adjustability of the apparatus are permitted. With this embodiment, the pneumatically acting means of the individual tamping plunger groups can be adjusted in order to permit a format or weight adaptation of the compressed pellets. Another embodiment permits a conversion of existing apparatuses with springs without having to insert pneumatic means.